City of Madison Metro Transit

Seeks Proactive, Innovative Chief Development Officer

TransPro Executive Placement, leaders in public sector executive recruitment, is pleased to present the following opportunity.

Job Title: Chief Development Officer

Description:Working in collaboration with the General Manager, this newly created position is at the highest level of senior management reporting to the General Manager. Under the general direction of the Metro General Manager, this strategic, innovative, and analytical leader oversees the activities of staff, consultants and contractors engaged in planning, design, outreach, construction, and project management functions associated with the execution of Metro major initiatives while also maintaining Metro partnerships and directing customer service/outreach activities. This position is responsible for analyzing the engineering, financial, and performance data regarding project delivery to effectively manage and implement programs, align resources to ensure agency objectives are accomplished. This position is responsible for infusing racial equity, social justice and inclusion goals, principles, and tools, into all aspects of work at Metro Transit and the City of Madison.

Assigned projects are high profile with substantial political interaction and public scrutiny and may include various transportation modes and systems. This position requires skill leading multiple simultaneous complex projects, and candidate must be capable of independently making decisions on significant planning/engineering/design/construction problems and issues.

Location: Madison, Wisconsin

Salary Range: $104,672 - $141,308

Why Metro Transit: Madison is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the country. A flourishing restaurant scene, more than 200 miles of bike paths and trails, excellent healthcare, a world renowned research university, and five beautiful lakes make our community a thriving, vibrant place to call home. Madison was ranked as the #1 best place to live in both 2021 and 2022 by Livability.com.

Metro Transit is a department of the City of Madison but operates regionally through nine separate partnership agreements with surrounding cities, the University of Wisconsin, and the Madison School District. In 2019, Metro Transit provided more than 13 million fixed-route and paratransit rides and has recovered nearly 70% of that as of summer 2022. The region is ranked 24th nationally in ridership per capita for Urbanized Zone Areas over 200,000 people and #5 in the country on WalletHub’s Cities with the Best Public Transportation list.

Metro Transit is leading an innovative mobility program of expanding transit options. Metro is breaking ground on a $186 million Bus Rapid Transit line in late 2022, which is expected to be operational in 2024 and include 46 electric New Flyer Articulated buses. A complete Network Redesign has been approved by the City Council and is planned for implementation in 2023. And Metro is upgrading technology and fare collection systems, while also bringing a second operational facility online.

With a new organizational alignment in place, a portfolio of cutting-edge projects, and a strong culture of transit ridership, Metro Transit is a great place for a strategic, creative, leader to bring expertise and actionable strategies to life.

Values:

The City of Madison is committed to fairness, justice, and equal outcomes for all. People of color, people of diverse genders, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Essential Responsibilities and Knowledge:

• Provides overall leadership, strategy, coordination and monitoring of the staff of Metro Capital Projects, Planning, and Customer Service units through subordinate managers.
• Leads Partner Development and Legislative affairs for Metro
  • Builds relationships among key internal and external stakeholders to develop mid and long-range programs designed to improve transit service and build necessary infrastructure and facilities in accordance with customer and community priorities and equity goals.
  • Interacts with community partners and leaders to develop positive policies relating to transit-supportive land use and development projects, including innovative equity-focused strategies.
  • Develops new and innovative partnerships to provide equitable service to all of Metro’s service area communities.
  • Leads the development of partnership agreements with new cities and other entities.
  • Maintains relationships with Metro partners, including regular meetings, preparation of reports, and presentations to elected officials.
  • Stays abreast of changes in the industry, regulations, and political landscape and how they may impact the environment, operations, and funding for Metro
  • Develops and implements procedures to effectively implement actions that support and protect the public interest.
  • Works closely with other cities, entities, and policy makers to create partnerships and secure support for programs and projects.
  • Develops and oversees the agency’s Joint Development efforts. Act as liaison for Real Estate/Transit Oriented Development efforts within the City.
  • Consults with and recommends to General Manager and management effective legislative and communications programs to enhance Metro's image.
• Leads the Capital Projects unit at Metro through a subordinate Manager
  • Leads the development of Metro’s Capital Improvement Plan under the direction of the General Manager, the Mayor, and the City of Madison Common Council. Ensures compatibility and consistency of individual projects within the overall capital program.
  • Develops unit budget and budget(s) related to assigned project(s).
  • Analyzes policies and formulates and presents policy recommendations to the General Manager and Madison Common Council, on capital projects, multimodal integrated planning, transit-oriented communities and transportation demand management, transit operations, and grant management matters.
  • Oversees subordinate staff in developing grant applications, project work scopes, consultant and contractor selections, and technical analyses and reports pertaining to the planning, design, and construction of projects and studies for services and facilities.
• Leads the Planning unit through a subordinate manager
  • Ensures that planning decisions have broad input from internal and external stakeholders.
  • Assures racial equity and social justice considerations are foremost in transit planning and outreach efforts.
  • Provides oversight of departmental interfaces with external partners and outside organizations to assure timely resolution of issues.
  • Oversees subordinate staff in the development of long range transportation plans, network planning, scheduling in picks, and bus stop locations and amenities.

• Leads the Marketing/Customer Service unit through Subordinate Managers
  • Ensures a focus on Customer Service Equity, and Engagement is fostered
  • Develops and implements innovative and effective public outreach strategies that generate robust public input from traditional and marginalized groups and communities on Metro plans and initiatives.
  • Ensures the organization’s voice and mission, vision and values are present in all communications efforts.
  • Oversees subordinate staff in operating the customer service functions of Metro, conducting outreach around changes and projects, overseeing the advertising program, providing status reports to stakeholders, planning and executing market research, maintaining and expanding participation in pass programs with external partners.

• Serves as a member of the Metro Executive Team and acts for and on behalf of the General Manager as needed.

Key Competencies & Characteristics:

• Agility to push through organizational barriers and overcome challenges
• Ability to use enthusiasm and subject matter expertise to engage and motivate staff, partners, and decision-makers
• Knowledge of public sector processes
• Strong communication skills in various modes, including written
• Thorough knowledge of managing multimodal transportation planning, goods movement planning, urban planning, or public transportation planning
• Innovative thinker and strategist
• Ability to successfully implement targeted marketing, branding and communications campaigns
• Knowledge of racial equity and social justice concepts, terms and tools
• Ability to prioritize continuous learning related to racial equity and social justice
• Thorough knowledge of administrative principles and methods, including goal setting, program and budget development and implementation
• Thorough knowledge of developing and adhering to capital and operating budgets
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and creativity in making decisions swiftly and nimbly and in responding to rapidly changing environments
• Ability to understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, budgets, and contracts governing Metro
• Ability to prepare comprehensive reports and correspondence

Requirements:

• 3 years of progressively responsible leadership responsibility
• 5 years of project management experience, with at least two of those being in the transit field

The priority application date for this role is December 9th, 2022.

The incumbent of this position will be expected to attend frequent Common Council and Board of Public Words as well as other public meetings as required. Such meetings generally take place outside the regular work day during evening hours.

Employment will be subject to a five-year employment contract negotiated by the Mayor and approved by the Common Council and a term of the contract requires residency in the City of Madison. Non-residents will be given time to establish residency if necessary.